Hello,
I have been "unbalanced" since childhood and was not diagnosed until I was 35 with Bipolar 2, ADHD, and post traumatic stress disorder. I am now almost 50. The most helpful thing that I did was search for a psychiatrist that would work with me and not just treat me. What I mean is that I finally found a health care professional that listened to me when I was struggling with the right combination of medication and other treatment sources to deal with my condition. I was on Risperdal for a long time from 3 different psychiatrists along with other medications. I finally found a psychiatrist (female) that actually listened to me and would respect and work with me to resolve my conditions. As far as the ADHD medications go I tried Adderall, then Ritalin, Vyvanse, and now I am using Adderall XR at half the dose I was receiving from a previous doctor and I am feeling much better, more focused, and hopeful. All of my symptoms of ADHD have not been completely resolved though. I have finally been put on Seroquel XR for my Bipolar 2 and that works pretty well, better than anything else so far. But the medications only do so much. I have been seeing a counselor for 2 years weekly until recently. I started one on one sessions with a meditation instructor and we have been working on mindfulness to help dial back some anxiety and impulsivity. The mindfulness has helped me stop and ask my self what I am feeling physically, emotionally, and to recognize these feelings, name them, and gently calm myself and just become aware of them. It is very hard for me to focus on something other than the distress of insecurity, my reactionary behavior and what I should have done. Bottom line is 1. Find a doctor to work with you and allow you to sample different medications until you find the right one. That means that a. you need to see your doctor regularly to monitor your reaction to the medications b. you must take your medication- one thing that I struggle with is "sleep hygiene". I have to stick to my routine of when I get up, when I take my medications on time, and when I go to bed. Sleep is so very important. You must plan your days and nights so that you have enough time to allow yourself to relax. This can be difficult when you are not single and others are depending on you. You must remind them that you NEED to stick to your schedule. 2. You need to plan. I make a lot of notes. But I only have one calendar for everything and it is not electronic. If I don't have everything in one place and orderly then I get distracted. You MUST make things simple. And you MUST allow yourself to break big tasks into smaller bits. Otherwise you may not be successful in completing the tasks. 3. Do not allow others to have power over you or control you. Having a medical condition and needing to take care of yourself should come first, otherwise you cannot take care of others. I was not able to really seek help for my conditions until I met my husband and he supported my search for help. Albeit he did not ever ask about the details of my illness, it was not because he was not concerned with my well being. To look at the bright side he allows me the privacy I need to deal with my health as I see fit.

Write back when you have time. I would like to stay in touch.

This is my first posting and the first time I have joined a group like this.
Be gentle, speak softly to yourself. Be kind to yourself. Consider more than one type of therapy in your treatment. I use YouTube for finding guided meditations from UCLA and a couple of other sources.

hugs, hot tea, soft light, etc. are good medicine too.